Perception of range in pioneer drivers of the MINI E

Background: In an attempt to combat climate change, the UK Government has set ambitious targets to substantially decrease CO2 emissions by 2050. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) could play a critical role in reaching these targets. To-date, however, BEV uptake remains low in the UK. A potential explanation for this is „range anxiety‟ – drivers‟ fear of running out of battery power. Range anxiety has risen in recent times, and now ranks as one of the main barriers to BEV acceptance. It is also proposed as a reason why drivers underutilize the battery power and leave substantial energy reserves. Aims: Range anxiety is a poorly understood psychological state. The limited literature has applied Lazarus‟s Transactional Model of Stress, to examine ways of increasing stress resistance to range. To-date, no research has explored why drivers‟ perceive range a concern, or the impact of this on their behaviour. This research project aimed to address this critical gap in the literature, by examining pioneer BEV drivers‟ perception of range over time. Recommendations could then be made for effective interventions to reduce range anxiety and enhance battery utilization. Methods: This thesis predominantly took a qualitative approach. It drew upon the interview data collected from 30 drivers who participated in the UK MINI E trial (6 month field trial of the electric MINI). Interviews were conducted at four time points - pre-trial, immediately after training on the vehicle, 1-week and 3-month post pickup. Thematic analysis was used to analyse them. Questionnaire and data logger information was used to support the interview data. Social cognitive theory was used to interpret the analysis. Findings: Drivers‟ range concern was underpinned by uncertainty (i.e., in the recharging network) and unpredictability (i.e., how far they could travel). To safeguard against experiencing a critical range situation, drivers constructed a priori strategies vis-à-vis range (e.g., leaving an energy reserve). Thus, before stepping foot in the BEV, they had prevented range being an issue. Drivers‟ anticipatory strategies guided their behaviour, and led to them confining their use of the vehicle to within their comfortable range. Therefore, drivers were not motivated to prolong range, and seldom made changes to their normal driving habits (i.e., when travelling on a low state of charge). Implications: Practical real-world solutions are discussed with regards to making range more predictable and controllable for drivers. For example, setting a BEVs stated range under real-world conditions, would enhance their ability to predict the battery power. In addition, the development of a device that informed a driver if a plug-in point was already in use, or out of order would improve their ability to control range. These findings are of relevance to stakeholders in the electric vehicle field.

Grantor dc:publisher

Oxford Brookes University

Year dc:date

2018

Author dc:creator

• Mansbridge, Sarah

Contributors dc:contributor

• Burgess, Mark
• Harris, Margaret

Statement dc:rights

• All rights reserved

Language dc:language

en

DOI dc:identifier

https://doi.org/10.24384/ejpa-8d74

OAI identifier oai:identifier

tle:7cbaf614-8750-45cc-8eed-f0b3d86fa630:d6bd9758-527a-46cd-bfe2-c433766e8fca:1